out," agreed my partner. "But the
girl's danger is much more serious. Can't we do something for her?"

"It's difficult to do anything against her will," I pointed out.
"Besides, I've lost interest in her a little."

"Don't blame her too much--we must do everything we can. Since she
isn't of age, she'll have to have a guardian appointed. He might do
something."

"I had thought of that; I'll suggest to her to-night that she let me
arrange for a guardian. But if we wait for a court to take action, I'm
afraid we'll be too late. Swain seems to think that the danger is very
pressing."

"At least we can make one more effort," said Mr. Royce. "I'll have my
wife drive out to see her this afternoon. Perhaps she can do
something," and he went to the 'phone to make the arrangements.

I turned back to my work, but found myself unable to take it up, for
my conscience told me that I ought to see Swain, make sure that he was
comfortable, and do what I could to relieve his anxiety. It was not a
pleasant task, for I should have to admit my failure, but at last I
put my work aside, made my way reluctantly to the Tombs, and asked to
see him.

They had given him a well-lighted cell on the upper tier, and some of
his own things had been brought in to soften its bareness, but my
first glance at Swain told me that he was in a bad way.

"Is she all right?" was his first question, and his eyes seemed to
burn into me.

"Yes," I answered a little testily, "she's all right--that is, if you
mean Miss Vaughan. For heaven's sake, Swain, be a little sensible.
What's the use of working yourself up into a state like this! Did you
sleep any last night?"

"No," said Swain, after thinking a minute. "No, I believe not."

"How about breakfast?"

"I don't seem to remember about breakfast," he answered, after another
moment's thought.

I stepped to the door, called the guard, and, putting a bill into his
hand, asked him to send up the prison barber and to have a good meal
sent in in the course of half an hour. When the barber arrived, I had
him take Swain in hand, give him a shave and shampoo and general
freshening up. Then I saw that he got into clean things; and then the
breakfast arrived, and I made him sit down and eat. He obeyed
passively, and I could see the food did him good. When he had finished
his coffee, I handed him a cigar.

"Now, Swain," I began, sitting down opposite him, "I'm going to talk
to you seriously. In the first place,